Not Enough to Feed the Need

It is not necessary to advertise food to hungry people, fuel to cold people, or houses to the homeless. ~J. K. Galbraith

I went to the bank and asked to borrow a cup of money. They said, “What for?” I said, “I'm going to buy some sugar.” ~Steven Wright

If you haven’t noticed yet, prices are going up. Prices of everything, from gas to food. It seems like an unlikely association, but it makes sense that even the food industry would be affected by changes in the national and global economy. I, in my limited view from my tiny dorm window, admit that I have not noticed these to be pronounced as those who live in the real world. I have no comparison because it seems like all the food on campus, in both the dining halls and the few convenience shops has always been overpriced. But the truth is, food prices are rising, and everyone from the American family to the hungry in third world countries are feeling the pressures of these increases.


An article in USA Today on April 28, 2008 cited changes in prices, particularly of white bread, which increased 16.3%, milk, which rose 13.3% and eggs, which rose 34.8%, all in the past twelve months. That difference in actual price may only be a few cents, but imagine if you are the parent of a large family- those cents add up. If you are at an income level close to poverty, those few cents could be more than your income could account for. And what about the children and families in third world countries, where food is not easy to come by, and certainly not easy to pay for when it does come by? These circumstances bring up more issues than just food price, confronting issues of uneven food distribution, especially based on class and wealth.

Call it inflation or the effects of a down-turning economy; nobody can really pinpoint the cause of the price increases. Some point to ordinary inflation over time, but even that must stem from another underlying source. Others suggest increases in gas and fuel prices, which affect both harvesting, production and processing, as well as transportation of foods. I think some definite possibilities stem from natural limitations of supply brought about by natural disasters, or reactions that downsized operations after slower years of production. One possible source, though it seems largely opposed by researchers and experts is the idea that increased production and distribution of grains, such as corn, to biofuels has greatly impacted the food industry as a whole. If this is true and a larger percentage of corn and grains are being focused towards ethanol production, it could explain why prices of grains (breads and cereals) are rising, as well as how other prices rise in order to match.

Around the world, food has become a precious commodity. We constantly hear about those less fortunate than us, constantly remind others that “there are starving kids in China,” and in New Orleans for that matter. But now everybody is suffering. Some grocery stores are even limiting the amount of some products that costumers can purchase. Restaurants are suffering too, both from lack of customers and from rising prices of food suppliers. And those who have always struggled to feed themselves and others? They now have at even worse.

The question, now, is what can we do to avert further problems. Sure, aid would be nice, but how can we help others if we can’t guarantee that we can provide for ourselves, particularly those that are really struggling in our own country from hunger and poverty. Another possibility would be to research other sources of energy, especially if a large portion of our grain supply is going towards the production of biofuels, and so that we are not dependent on foreign or limited energy sources for purposes of production and distribution of food supply, but this suggestion treads dangerously into political waters. But for now, it seems as if we will just have to deal with these changes. But maybe we’ll get something out of it too, perhaps learning how to stretch and make the most of every little thing we have, or to grow what we can of our own- WWII Victory Garden style.

In the meantime, if you want to help out in even the smallest way, play the Free Rice Game. It will make you feel better about helping humanity, and will also boost your vocabulary level! Check it out.